Presidential limousines through the years

Presidents have long traveled in style. The latest cars are more secure.

By By AUBREY COHEN

on March 21, 2013 6:39 PM

Photo: PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images

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The news that President Obama's limousine broke down in Israel on Thursday added a little levity to a serious diplomatic trip. It also got us thinking about presidential cars.

An Israeli official told CNN that the car was mistakenly filled with unleaded gasoline, rather than diesel. But the Secret Service denied the report, saying the limo actually does run on unleaded. In any case, the vehicle was towed and President Obama took a backup limo.

We've collected a gallery of presidential limousines dating back to 1910. Enjoy. less

The news that President Obama's limousine broke down in Israel on Thursday added a little levity to a serious diplomatic trip. It also got us thinking about presidential cars.

A crowd surrounds President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his mother, Sara D. Roosevelt, as they sit in a convertible during a visit to the Children's Aid Society's 300-acre farm in New Hamburg, N.Y., on Aug. 8, 1933. The Hudson River is in the background. less

A crowd surrounds President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his mother, Sara D. Roosevelt, as they sit in a convertible during a visit to the Children's Aid Society's 300-acre farm in New Hamburg, N.Y., on Aug. 8, ... more

Photo: New York Times Co., Getty Images

A crowd surrounds President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his mother,... Photo-4362651.58853 - Times Union

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt waves to a crowd in his car during a western trip in 1936.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt waves to a crowd in his car during a western trip in 1936.

Photo: Thomas D. McAvoy, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

President Franklin D. Roosevelt waves to a crowd in his car during... Photo-4362715.58853 - Times Union

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt's limousine is parked in front of the Capitol in 1940.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's limousine is parked in front of the Capitol in 1940.

Photo: Thomas D. McAvoy, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's limousine is parked in front... Photo-4358464.58853 - Times Union

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President Harry S Truman and daughter Margaret ride to the funeral for Franklin D. Roosevelt, who died in office on April 12, 1945.

President Harry S Truman and daughter Margaret ride to the funeral for Franklin D. Roosevelt, who died in office on April 12, 1945.

Photo: Thomas D. McAvoy, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

President Harry S Truman and daughter Margaret ride to the funeral... Photo-4358466.58853 - Times Union

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President Dwight Eisenhower leaves the United Nations in New York after a meeting with the Security Council in 1958.

President Dwight Eisenhower leaves the United Nations in New York after a meeting with the Security Council in 1958.

Photo: Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images

President Dwight Eisenhower leaves the United Nations in New York... Photo-4358456.58853 - Times Union

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A new custom bubble-top Lincoln limousine is delivered to the White House for President John F. Kennedy in June 1961. According to the original photo caption, it took five months to build to Secret Service specifications. less

A new custom bubble-top Lincoln limousine is delivered to the White House for President John F. Kennedy in June 1961. According to the original photo caption, it took five months to build to Secret Service ... more

Photo: Underwood Archives

A new custom bubble-top Lincoln limousine is delivered to the White... Photo-4358458.58853 - Times Union

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But Secret Service specifications didn't include keeping the top closed. Here, President Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy leave San Antonio Airport with Texas Gov. John Connally Jr. and his wife, Nellie, on Nov. 21, 1963. The next day, Kennedy was assassinated and Connally seriously wounded in Dallas. less

But Secret Service specifications didn't include keeping the top closed. Here, President Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy leave San Antonio Airport with Texas Gov. John Connally Jr. and his wife, ... more

Photo: Art Rickerby

But Secret Service specifications didn't include keeping the... Photo-4358459.58853 - Times Union

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President Lyndon B. Johnson greets crowds from an open-top Cadillac as he campaigns for re-election in September 1964.

President Lyndon B. Johnson greets crowds from an open-top Cadillac as he campaigns for re-election in September 1964.

Anti-Vietnam War protestors throw paint at President Lyndon B. Johnson's car during his visit to Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 21, 1966. Johnson was the first U.S. President to visit Australia.

Anti-Vietnam War protestors throw paint at President Lyndon B. Johnson's car during his visit to Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 21, 1966. Johnson was the first U.S. President to visit Australia.

Photo: Fairfax Media, Fairfax Media Via Getty Images

Anti-Vietnam War protestors throw paint at President Lyndon B.... Photo-4362601.58853 - Times Union

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Anti-Vietnam War protestors throw paint at President Lyndon B. Johnson's
car during his visit to Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 21, 1966. Johnson
was the first U.S. President to visit Australia.

Anti-Vietnam War protestors throw paint at President Lyndon B. Johnson's
car during his visit to Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 21, 1966. Johnson
was the first U.S. President to visit Australia.

Photo: Fairfax Media, Fairfax Media Via Getty Images

Anti-Vietnam War protestors throw paint at President Lyndon B.... Photo-4362581.58853 - Times Union

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Anti-Vietnam War protestors lie in front of President Lyndon B. Johnson's
car in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 23, 1966.

Anti-Vietnam War protestors lie in front of President Lyndon B. Johnson's
car in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 23, 1966.

Photo: Gamma-Keystone Via Getty Images

Anti-Vietnam War protestors lie in front of President Lyndon B.... Photo-4362570.58853 - Times Union

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President Richard Nixon waves from his limo on the way to his inauguration on Jan. 29, 1969.

President Richard Nixon waves from his limo on the way to his inauguration on Jan. 29, 1969.

Photo: Henry Groskinsky/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

President Richard Nixon waves from his limo on the way to his... Photo-4358490.58853 - Times Union

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President Nixon's limo now is parked in the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace in Yorba Linda, Calif.

President Nixon's limo now is parked in the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace in Yorba Linda, Calif.

Photo: David McNew, Getty Images

President Nixon's limo now is parked in the Richard Nixon... Photo-4358711.58853 - Times Union

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President Gerald Ford talks to Caroline Kennedy and Sen. Edward Kennedy, daughter and brother of the late President John F. Kennedy, in the back of his limousine during his visit to Lexington, Mass., on April 19, 1975, to celebrate the bicentennial of the first battle of the Revolutionary War. less

President Gerald Ford talks to Caroline Kennedy and Sen. Edward Kennedy, daughter and brother of the late President John F. Kennedy, in the back of his limousine during his visit to Lexington, Mass., on April ... more

People wave to President Jimmy Carter in Denver on May 3, 1978. Photo-4358460.58853 - Times Union

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President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan wave from the presidential limo after Reagan's first inauguration, on Jan. 20, 1981.

President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan wave from the presidential limo after Reagan's first inauguration, on Jan. 20, 1981.

Photo: NBC, NBC News/NBCU Photo Bank

President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan wave from the... Photo-4358457.58853 - Times Union

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John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, while Reagan was leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Reagan was hit in the chest and was hospitalized for 12 days. Press Secretary James Brady (just behind the car) was paralyzed. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity. less

John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, while Reagan was leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Reagan was hit in the ... more

Photo: MIKE EVENS, AFP/Getty Images

John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan... Photo-4359057.58853 - Times Union

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President Ronald Reagan waves from the back of his limousine in Fairfield, Conn., on Oct. 26, 1984.

President Ronald Reagan waves from the back of his limousine in Fairfield, Conn., on Oct. 26, 1984.

Photo: Ronald Reagan Library, Getty Images

President Ronald Reagan waves from the back of his limousine in... Photo-4358461.58853 - Times Union

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President Ronald Reagan's limo arrives for his New Year's stay in Palm Springs, Calif., in December 1985.

President Ronald Reagan's limo arrives for his New Year's stay in Palm Springs, Calif., in December 1985.

Photo: Dirck Halstead, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

President Ronald Reagan's limo arrives for his New Year's... Photo-4358485.58853 - Times Union

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The presidential limo experienced some sort of breakdown on April 1, 1987.

The presidential limo experienced some sort of breakdown on April 1, 1987.

Photo: Cynthia Johnson, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

The presidential limo experienced some sort of breakdown on April... Photo-4358471.58853 - Times Union

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President George H.W. Bush rides in his inaugural parade on Jan. 20, 1989.

President George H.W. Bush rides in his inaugural parade on Jan. 20, 1989.

Photo: Dirck Halstead, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

President George H.W. Bush rides in his inaugural parade on Jan.... Photo-4358465.58853 - Times Union

President Bush, sporting a bandaged finger following surgery, speaks about the situation in Panama on Oct. 6, 1989. The United States invaded Panama and ousted dictator Manuel Noriega in December 1989.

President Bush, sporting a bandaged finger following surgery, speaks about the situation in Panama on Oct. 6, 1989. The United States invaded Panama and ousted dictator Manuel Noriega in December 1989.

Photo: Dirck Halstead, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

President Bush, sporting a bandaged finger following surgery,... Photo-4358468.58853 - Times Union

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President Bill Clinton stands in front of his limo in Moscow's Red Square on Jan. 14, 1994.

President Bill Clinton stands in front of his limo in Moscow's Red Square on Jan. 14, 1994.

Photo: Diana Walker, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

President Bill Clinton stands in front of his limo in Moscow's... Photo-4358470.58853 - Times Union

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The presidential limousine and a Marine Guard await the arrival of President Bill Clinton aboard Marine One on Nov. 10, 1999, in Washington, D.C.

The presidential limousine and a Marine Guard await the arrival of President Bill Clinton aboard Marine One on Nov. 10, 1999, in Washington, D.C.

Photo: TIM SLOAN, AFP/Getty Images

The presidential limousine and a Marine Guard await the arrival of... Photo-4358472.58853 - Times Union

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Buddy, President Bill Clinton's dog, leaves the presidential limo ahead of Clinton on Jan. 6, 1998, at the Department of Education, in Washington, D.C.

Buddy, President Bill Clinton's dog, leaves the presidential limo ahead of Clinton on Jan. 6, 1998, at the Department of Education, in Washington, D.C.

President Bill Clinton steps out of his limousine at Dallas' Love Field on Sept. 27, 2000.

President Bill Clinton steps out of his limousine at Dallas' Love Field on Sept. 27, 2000.

Photo: PAUL J. RICHARDS, AFP/Getty Images

President Bill Clinton steps out of his limousine at Dallas'... Photo-4358474.58853 - Times Union

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First lady Hillary Clinton steps out of the president's limousine to board Air Force One on Jan. 5, 2001 for the flight to the Clintons' new house in Chappaqua, N.Y. Clinton is considered the front runner for the Democratic nomination in 2016, if she decides to run. less

First lady Hillary Clinton steps out of the president's limousine to board Air Force One on Jan. 5, 2001 for the flight to the Clintons' new house in Chappaqua, N.Y. Clinton is considered the front runner for ... more

Photo: Mark Wilson/Liaison Agency/Getty Images, Getty Images

First lady Hillary Clinton steps out of the president's... Photo-4358491.58853 - Times Union

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After Washington, D.C., rolled out "Taxation Without Representation" license plates in 2000, to protest its lack of a vote in Congress, President Bill Clinton them put on his limo.

After Washington, D.C., rolled out "Taxation Without Representation" license plates in 2000, to protest its lack of a vote in Congress, President Bill Clinton them put on his limo.

But President George W. Bush opted for different plates. Photo-4358701.58853 - Times Union

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A Secret Service agent adjusts the flags on the presidential limousine outside of the White House on Jan. 19, 2005 in Washington, D.C.

A Secret Service agent adjusts the flags on the presidential limousine outside of the White House on Jan. 19, 2005 in Washington, D.C.

Photo: PAUL J.RICHARDS, AFP/Getty Images

A Secret Service agent adjusts the flags on the presidential... Photo-4358702.58853 - Times Union

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A Secret Service agent affixes the presidential seal to President George W. Bush's limousine on June 14, 2005 at Andrews Air Force Base, in Maryland.

A Secret Service agent affixes the presidential seal to President George W. Bush's limousine on June 14, 2005 at Andrews Air Force Base, in Maryland.

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A Secret Service agent affixes the presidential seal to President... Photo-4358712.58853 - Times Union

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President George W. Bush waves as he arrives in his limousine before boarding Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, in Maryland, on Sept. 28, 2006.

President George W. Bush waves as he arrives in his limousine before boarding Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, in Maryland, on Sept. 28, 2006.

Photo: JIM WATSON, AFP/Getty Images

President George W. Bush waves as he arrives in his limousine... Photo-4358714.58853 - Times Union

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President Josiah Bartlet rides with first lady Abby Bartlet on Aug. 23, 2004. Wait a minute, that's a shot from "The West Wing," featuring actors Martin Sheen and Stockard Channing.

President Josiah Bartlet rides with first lady Abby Bartlet on Aug. 23, 2004. Wait a minute, that's a shot from "The West Wing," featuring actors Martin Sheen and Stockard Channing.

Photo: Patrick Ecclesine, Warner Bros./Getty Images

President Josiah Bartlet rides with first lady Abby Bartlet on Aug.... Photo-4358717.58853 - Times Union

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Similarly, here are actors portraying President Franklin D. Roosevelt and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt arriving at Mid-Atlantic Air Museum World War II Weekend and Reenactment in Reading, Pa., on June 18, 2008.

Similarly, here are actors portraying President Franklin D. Roosevelt and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt arriving at Mid-Atlantic Air Museum World War II Weekend and Reenactment in Reading, Pa., on June 18, 2008.

A government limousine hauls furniture from IKEA, in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16, 2009, four days before President Barack Obama's inauguration.

A government limousine hauls furniture from IKEA, in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16, 2009, four days before President Barack Obama's inauguration.

Photo: MARK RALSTON, AFP/Getty Images

A government limousine hauls furniture from IKEA, in Washington,... Photo-4358726.58853 - Times Union

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President Barack Obama's new limousine sits outside of the White House on Jan. 22, 2009. Nicknamed "The Beast," the highly customized Cadillac reportedly weighs eight tons, is based on a truck chassis, and has a fully-sealed passenger compartment, inches of armor, bulletproof windows, run-flat tires and special shocks to absorb blasts. less

President Barack Obama's new limousine sits outside of the White House on Jan. 22, 2009. Nicknamed "The Beast," the highly customized Cadillac reportedly weighs eight tons, is based on a truck chassis, and has ... more

Photo: SAUL LOEB, AFP/Getty Images

President Barack Obama's new limousine sits outside of the... Photo-4358876.58853 - Times Union

Secret Service agents hold open the doors on President Barack Obama's limousine alongside Air Force One at Paine Field in Everett on Feb. 17, 2012.

Secret Service agents hold open the doors on President Barack Obama's limousine alongside Air Force One at Paine Field in Everett on Feb. 17, 2012.

Photo: SAUL LOEB, AFP/Getty Images

Secret Service agents hold open the doors on President Barack... Photo-4358841.58853 - Times Union

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Remember how George W. Bush opted not to use the "Taxation Without Representation" license plates? President Barack Obama initially did the same. Obama finally agreed to switch plates earlier this year, in the face of a petition that DC Vote posted to the White House website and a unanimous resolution from the D.C. Council. less

Remember how George W. Bush opted not to use the "Taxation Without Representation" license plates? President Barack Obama initially did the same. Obama finally agreed to switch plates earlier this year, in the ... more

Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

Remember how George W. Bush opted not to use the "Taxation... Photo-4358850.58853 - Times Union

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President Barack Obama exits his limousine to walk during a portion of the presidential inaugural parade on January 21, 2013.

President Barack Obama exits his limousine to walk during a portion of the presidential inaugural parade on January 21, 2013.

Photo: Win McNamee, Getty Images

President Barack Obama exits his limousine to walk during a portion... Photo-4358859.58853 - Times Union